Rotary excavator.



E. M. WARRENPBLTZ. ROTARY EXGAVATOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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ZJMJLM E. M. WARRENFELTZ.

ROTARY EXGAVATOR. APPLICATION FILED 11111.10, 1910.

973,326, Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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EDWARD M. WARRENFEL'IZ, OF FUNKSTDWN, MARYLAND.

ROTARY EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 10, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 537,282.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. WARREN- rnL'rz, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Funkstown, in the county of Vashington and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Excavators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary excavators and has for its object the provision of a strong, durable and thoroughly practical machine of this character, the construction of which is such that as the machine travels over the ground, the earth turned by the digging element or plow will be directed into the pockets or compartments of an elevating wheel for delivery to acart or other suitable receptacle designed to receive the same.

A. further object is to provide novel means for raising and lowering the supporting f "ame, whereby the elevating mechanism and digging element may be quickly moved to operative position, or elevated above the surface of the ground so that the machine may be readily transported on the truck wheels from place to place without affecting the digging or elevating mechanism.

A further object is to provide a yieldable supporting plate or shield for preventing accidental displacement of the load during the elevation thereof, and means for ejecting stones or other relatively large foreign bodies deposited in the pockets or compartments of the elevating wheel by the digging element.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of machines so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and. the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, referonce is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an 6X-' cavating machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the digging element or plow and its associated parts detached; Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view showing the manner of mounting the yieldable plate or shield on the supporting frame; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the manner of connecting the operating lever of the truck wheels with the pivoted rack; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The device comprises a substantially rectangular supporting frame including spaced side bars 5 connected in any suitable manner by end bars 6 and 7 and provided with intermediate longitudinal bars 8 connected to the side bars 5 by spacing blocks 9, as shown. Secured to the intermediate longitudinal bars 8 at the spacing blocks 9, are uprights or standards 10 having bearings formed in the upper ends thereof and in which is journaled the stub shaft 11 of an elevating wheel, indicated at 12. The supporting frame is further reinforced and strengthened by the provision of inclined truss bars 13, which latter connect the standards 10 with the opposite end bars 6 and 7, as shown, there being relatively short inclined braces 14 interposed between the standards 10 and the adjacent side bars 5 of the frame. The side bars 5 are provided with lateral enlargements 15 having vertically disposed clove-tailed recesses 16 formed therein and in which are slidably mounted correspondingly shaped hangers 17, the latter being provided with stub shafts 18 on which are journaled suitable ground wheels 19.

Pivotally connected at 20 with the upper end of each'hanger 17, is the intermediate portion of an operating lever 21, one end of each operating lever being pivotally connected at 22 with a link 23 fastened to the adjacent side bar 5, while the other end thereof is provided with a pivoted hand piece or lever 24:. Each hand piece or lever 24: is pivotally mounted at 25 on the adjacent operating lever 21 and is provided with a depending lug 26 to which is pivotally connected one end of an operating rod 27, the opposite end of the operating rod being extended through a slot 28 formed in the operating lever and provided with an eye 29 which receives a staple or keeper 30.

Pivotally mounted on each of the side bars of the frame at the hangers 17 are rack bars 31, the teeth of which are adapted to engage the keepers 30 for holding the supporting frame in either raised or lowered position. Each rack bar 31 is provided with a vertically disposed slot 32 which receives the angular arm 33 of the adjacent actuating rod 27 so that by depressing the hand lever or finger piece 24, the angular arm 33 of the adjacent rod 27 will shift the rack 31 laterally against the tension of a spring 34 so as to disengage the teeth from the keeper 30, the tension of the spring 34 serving to automatically return the rack in engagement with the keeper 30 when the pressure on the hand lever or finger piece 24 is released. One end of the spring 34 is anchored in any suitable manner on the supporting frame, while the other end thereof is provided with a hooked portion 35 which bears against the adjacent longitudinal edge of the rack 31 as shown, the tension of the spring being such as to cause the teeth on the rack to normally and yieldably engage the keeper 30. Thus it will be seen that by depressing the finger piece 24 and raising or lowering the operating lever 21, the supporting frame of the machine may be raised or lowered with respect to the truck wheels so as to move the elevating wheel in contact with the ground or to elevate said wheel above the surface of the ground, thus to permit the machine to be transported from one portion of a field to another without affecting the elevating mechanism.

The elevating device or wheel 12 comating spokes 37, the outer ends of which intersect the rim of the wheel to form a plurality of independent load receiving pockets or compartments 38. The rim of the wheel comprises a side plate 39 and a felly 40, the latter being provided with a plurality of peripheral tract-ion devices 41 adapted to V bite into the ground as the machine travels thereover. The traction devices are preferably in the form of angle irons and are retained in position on the felly 40 by means of lugs 42 formed on the outer ends of the spokes and extending through the felly for engagement with the angle irons, as shown.

Disposed in each compartment 38 is an inclined plate 43, bent upon itself at 44 and extended transversely across the wheel, as

indicated at 45, said inclined plates being 7 retained within the load receiving compartments or pockets 38 by means of depending attaching fingers 46 formed on the transverse plates 45 and extending through openings 47 in the adjacent spokes of the wheel, as shown. The function of the inclined plates 43 is to direct the earth or other material elevated in the pockets or compartments downwardly into a suitable chute 48 for delivery to a cart or other receptacle designed to receive the same. If desired however, the rim of the wheel, instead of being formed of separate metallic strips united in the manner described, may be cast or otherwise formed integral or made in any other suitable manner, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The chute 48 is supported on the frame of the truck by one or more uprights or standards 49, the free or reduced end of the chute being projected laterally beyond the adjacent ground wheel so as to permit delivery of the earth to a cart or other receptacle without interfering with the travel of the machine, it being of course understood that the cart will travel over a field parallel with the machine during the excavating operation.

Pivotally mounted at 50 on one of the longitudinal bars 8 of the supporting frame,

is a suspension beam 51 carrying at its free end a digging element preferably in the form of a plow 52, the standard 53 of which is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a keeper 54 secured to one of the truss bars 13. As a means for raising and lowering the digging device or plow so as to regulate the depth or out of the latter, there is provided an operating lever 55 having its inner end loosely mounted in a slot 56 in the upper end of the standard 53 and its intermediate portion pivotally mounted at 57 on a standard 58 secured to the adjacent longi tudinal bar 8. The operating lever 55 is provided with an actuating rod 59, similar in construction to the actuating rod 27 and which engages a corresponding keeper 60 and rack 61. Interposed between the inner end of the lever 55, is a coil spring 62 which serves to receive and absorb the shock incident to the passage of the plow through the earth or to accommodate a slight vertical movement of the plow during the digging operation. Thus it will be seen that by operating the lever 55, the plow or digging device may be raised or lowered to regulate the depth or cut of the latter, the lever 55 and its associated parts permitting adjustment of the plow independently of the adjustment of the supporting frame. It will here be noted that the mold board of the plow is extended in the direction of the pockets or compartments of the elevating wheel so as positively to direct the earth into said compartments as the wheel rotates in its bearings. Y

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the load within the pockets or compartments 38, during the elevation thereof, there is provided a yieldable supporting plate or shield 63 disposed on one side of the elevating wheel and preferably extending from the chute 48 to a point in the rear of the plow 52. The plate 63 is reinforced and strengthened by the provision of spaced vertical bars 64 having pins 65 extending laterally therefrom, which latter projectthrough openings in a removable side piece or bar 66. Secured to the bar 66 is a coil spring 67 having its opposite'ends engaging notches or recesses in the adjacent end of the pins 65, thus to yieldably support the plate or shield 63 in contact with the adjacent face of the elevating wheel. The auxiliary bar or side piece 66 may be formed integral with the frame, but it is preferred to make the same detachable and secure said auxiliary piece in position on the frame by a clip 68 so as to facilitate removal of the guard or shield when desired.

Disposed at the rear of the plow and interposed between the mold board of the latter and the adjacent end of the plate or shield 63, is a yieldable supported guard or finger 69, one end of which is secured to one of the reinforcing bars 64:, while the other end thereof projects downwardly so as to eject any stones or other relatively large foreign bodies directed into the pockets or compartments of the elevating wheel by the digging device and thus prevent injury to the machine. Should a stone pass the guard or finger 69, the shield or plate 63 will yield laterally against the tension of the spring 67 and prevent injury to the machine.

Secured to the transverse bar 6 of the machine are converging side bars 70, the outer ends of which are rigidly secured to a circular plate or fifth wheel 71, the latter being reinforced and strengthened by intersecting bars 72. Pivotally mounted at 7 3 on the plate-or fifth wheel 71 is a movable plate 74 also provided with intersecting bars, one of which is in the form of a channel iron, as indicated at 75. Depending from the movable plate 74L are spaced brackets 7 6 between which is journaled a ground wheel 77, the purpose of which is to assist in sustaining the weight of the forward part of the machine and also to facilitate guiding the latter. A draft tongue 78 is pivotally mounted at 79.between the flanges of the channel iron 75, there being suitable coil springs 80 interposed between the upper surface of the tongue and the channel iron on each side of the pivot 79, as shown, so as to yieldably support the tongue and assist in.

taking the weight off of the draft animals.

In operation the levers 21 are operated to lower the supporting frame and thus bring the traction devices of the elevating wheel and digging device or plow in contact with the ground. The lever 55 is then adjusted to regulate the depth or out of the plow and the machine caused to travel over the surface of the ground, the earth dislodged by the plow being directed by the mold board into the several pockets or compartments of the elevating wheel and elevated to a point above the chute where the load is discharged by the inclined walls 43 of the compartments into the chute for delivery to a wagon or other receptacle designed to receive the earth.

lVhen the machine is not in use, the levers 21 are operated to lift the supporting frame and thus elevate the wheel 12 and digging mechanism above the surface of the ground so that the machine may be transported on the truck wheels 19 from one place to another without affecting the digging and elevating mechanism.

If desired, a tract-ion engine or motor may be employed instead of draft animals for propelling the machine, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating device mounted for rotation in a vertical plane on the truck, a digging element for delivering earth to the elevating device, and means for raising and lowering said elevating device.

2. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating device mounted for. ro tation in a vertical plane on the truck, a digging element for delivering earth to the ele vating device, means for simultaneously raising and lowering the elevating device and digging element, and means for usting the digging element independently of said elevating device.

3. In a machine of the class described, a truck, a digging element, a chute, an elevating wheel for conveying the earth from the digging element to the chute, and means for raising and lowering the elevating wheel.

t. In a machine of the class described, a truck, a digging element, a chute, an elevating device mounted for rotation on the truck for conveying the earth from the digging element to the chute, means for simultaneously raising and lowering the digging element and elevating device, and means for adjusting the digging element vertically of the truck and independently of the elevating device.

5. Ina machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating device having a series of load receiving compartments, a digging element for directing earth into the load receiving compartments, and means adapted to receive the load from said compartments and direct the same to a suitable point of discharge. 6

6. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating device mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of independent load-receiving compartments, each having an inclined wall, traction devices forming a part of the elevating device, a vertically adjustable digging element for directing material into the load receiving compartments, and means for raising and lowering the elevating device.

7. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with radiating spokes defining independent load receiving compartments, a digging element for delivering material into said compartments, and means adapted to receive the material from the compartments and direct the same to a suitable point of discharge.

8. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of radiating spokes defining independent load receivingcompartments, plates interposed between the spokes of said compartments and each having one end thereof bent inwardly within the adjacent compartment, a digging element supported by the truck for directing earth into the compartments, and a chute adapted to receive the material from said compartments.

9. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with radiating spokes defining independent load receiving compartments, the terminals of the spokes being provided with lugs, a digging device for directing earth into the compartments, an inclined plate forming the bottom of each compartment, and traction devices secured to the periphery of the wheel and engaging the lugs on the spokes.

10. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of radiating spokes defining independent load receiving compartments, there being openings formed in the spokes, transverse plates interposed between the spokes and each having one end thereof bent inwardly within the adjacent load receiving compartment and its opposite end provided with attaching fingers engaging the openings in the adjacent spokes, and a digging device for directing the material into the compartments.

11. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and including a felly, a plurality of radiating spokes defining independent load receiving compartments and provided with lugs projecting through the felly, inclined plates disposed within each compartment, traction devices engaging the lugs of the spokes, a plate secured to one side of the wheel and forming a closure for one side of each compartment, a digging device for directing material into the compartments, and means adapted to receive the material from said compartments and direct the same to a suitable point of discharge.

12. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of independent load receiving compartments, a digging device for delivering material into said compartments, means adapted to receive the material from said compartments and direct the same to a suitable point of discharge, and a plate carried by the truck and forming a closure for some of the compartments.

13. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of load receiving compartments, a digging device for delivering material to the compartments, means adapted to receive the material from said compartments and direct the same to a suitable point of discharge, and a plate yieldably supported on one side of the elevating wheel and forming a closure for some of the load receiving compartments.

14. In a machine of the class described, a truck, an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of load receiving compartments, a digging device for directing material into said compartments, a chute adapted to receive the material from the compartments, a plate yieldably supported on the frame and forminga closure for some of the compartments, and a guard depending from the truck between the digging device and the adjacent end of the plate.

15. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, hangers slidably mounted in the frame and provided with stub axles, ground wheels journaled on the stub axles, an elevating device, a digging element for delivering material to the elevating device, and levers operatively connected with the hangers and frame, respectively, for adjusting the latter to raise and lower the elevating device.

16. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, hangers slidably mounted for vertical movement on the supporting frame and provided with stub axles, ground wheels journaled on the stub axles, an elevating device mounted for rotation on the supporting frame, a digging element for directing material to the elevating device, operating levers pivotally connected with the hangers and frame, respectively, racks pivotally mounted on the frame and provided with slots, keepers normally engaging the racks, and actuating rods carried by the operating levers for moving the racks out of engagement with the keepers, thereby to permit the supporting frame to be raisedor lowered.

17. In a machine of the class described, a

truck, an elevating device mounted for rotation on the truck and provided with a plurality of load receiving compartments, a plow yieldably supported on the truck for delivering material into the compartments of the elevating device, means for raising and lowering the plow, means for directing the material in the compartments to a suitable point of discharge, and means for simultaneously raising and lowering the ele vating device and plow, respectively.

18. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame having oppositely disposed standards, hangers slidably mounted on the opposite sides of the frame and provided with stub axles, ground wheels journaled on said axles, truss bars connecting the standards with the opposite ends of the frame, an elevating wheel journaled in said standards and provided with a plurality of load receiving compartments, a digging element yieldably supported on the frame for directing material into said compartments, and operating levers connected with the hangers and frame, respectively, for adjusting the frame vertically, thereby to raise and lower the elevating device.

19. In a machine of the class described including a supporting frame, ground wheels journaled on the frame and adjustable vertically of the latter, an elevating wheel journaled on the frame and provided with a plurality of load receiving compartments, a chute adapted to receive the material from said compartments, a plate bearing against one side of the wheel and provided with reinforcing bars having laterally extending pins seated in openings in the supporting frame, a spring secured to said supporting frame and bearing against the pins, and a digging element for directing material into the compartments.

20. In a machine of the class described including a wheeled truck, a rotating elevating device carried by the truck and provided with a plurality of independent load receiving compartments, each having an inclined bottom, a chute disposed on one side of the elevating device and having its free end projected beyond one of the wheels of the truck, a lever pivotally mounted on the truck, a plow carried by the lever and provided with a shank, an operating lever pivotally connected with said shank for raising and lowering the plow, a plate carried by the truck and normally and yieldably bearing against one side of the elevating device and forming a closure for some of the load receiving compartments, and a spring finger depending from the truck between the plow and one end of the plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. N. Woonson,

SAMUEL N. AOKER. 

